Steppenwolf & Darkseid May Have Their Traditional Comic Book Relationship After All

The confusion around the relationship between Steppenwolf and Darkseid in Justice League may have been resolved. Warner Bros' much-anticipated blockbuster is almost here and as we draw closer to its roll-out, more rumors are being proven and discarded. This new one sheds a light on main villain Steppenwolf's motivations, as well as his place in the bigger DC Film Universe narrative.

It's not unusual for movie adaptations to do a bit of tweaking with character origins from their source materials. So when it was reported earlier this month that the two DC villains, apparently, will have switched up familial ties in the upcoming ensemble film, people simply accepted and drew the conclusion that perhaps the same thing has been done with regard to the aforementioned antagonists. It turns out, that may not the case.

In a feature, Hollywood Magazine's state that Steppenwolf will apparently maintain his comic book place as the uncle of Apokolips' dictator, Darkseid. Below is an excerpt from the article briefing readers on what we need to know about Steppenwolf before he wreaks havoc in the film:

“The uncle of the universe’s greatest villain, Darkseid, and a member of his elite force, Steppenwolf survived a battle with Doomsday. That should tell you just how powerful he is. Aside from his strength and near-immortality, he’s also an expert tactician and wields a vicious electro-axe that can cut through just about anything.

Steppenwolf’s primary role is as the leader of the parademons, the storm troopers who seek to destroy in the name of Darkseid. His primary mission is to serve his nephew, and his status as the main villain in Justice League suggests the scope of the threat facing Earth, as well as the inevitable appearance of Darkseid himself.

Irish star Ciaran Hinds plays the role in the movie, though he will appear through the use of motion-capture technology. According to the actor, in the film, Steppenwolf is old, tired, and trying desperately to get out from under his servitude to his nephew.”

While this would seem to confirm a return to the comic status quo, it is possible that HM are simply quoting from the character's comic past and don't have any scoop on the villain. They cite Steppenwolf fighting Doomsday, which is true in the comics but based on the character's creation in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that can't have happened in the movies.

In any case, basing from the article, it seems like the film will dive deep into the mythology, not just of our heroes but their foes, as well.

Depending on how Justice League leaves Steppenwolf, whether he meets his end or he simply retreats in defeat, will say a lot about the bigger cosmic threat in the DCEU. This is especially intriguing given his connection with an arguably bigger bad, who is, possibly, also coming to town, perhaps in the already-in-development Justice League sequel.